Enchanted
by jellybean530
Summary: This about a young maiden that was cursed at birth and has to live each day riddled with the commands given to her from her evil step-sister and her friends. Against all odds, Katara, also known as Tara, leaves to go on a quest to break the curse, find herself and her hearts truest desire: True Love. Unbeknownst to her, all the answers could be found all the way back home. ZUTARA
1. Chapter 1

Zutara - Enchanted

Enchanted

Based almost identically on the book_ Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine_, this is a story about a young maiden that was cursed at birth and has to live each day riddled with the commands given to her from her evil step-sister and her friends. Against all odds, Katara, known as Tara, leaves to go on a quest to find herself and her hearts truest desire: True Love. Unknown to her, the answer is all the way back home.

Author's Note: No characters are related, unless expressed other wise. Some Characters will be the same from the show, others will be slightly altered. This is a no bending story, set in a world where the Four Nations are one.

Disclaimer: All familiar names do not belong to me. All rights are owned by Mike and Bryan.

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Chapter One:

I will have to start this story off with a cold bitter note really. Because that is how it was on the day that I was born; the snow was piled high above the window sills, the blowing wind had the sharpest bite, and the days after were looking no better. It was almost the Winter Solstice when I entered the world. My father was out in the horrible weather, as he was a merchant, and he was unable to get the letter that my mother was going into labor until weeks after my birth.

Stories have been told to me, almost constantly, about how that day went. I was an easier childbirth compared to my older brother, Sokka. I could actually imagine that. He was the most difficult child to deal with anyways. I know that my parents love him to pieces, but sometimes I can see that they would want to sock him upside his block head. And I am years younger then him.

Our cook, Kanna, was there at my birth to help my mother through the labor, and she was the first to hold me. She is more of a grandmother then a cook. I love her dearly. When the fairy appeared in the house, it was a genuine surprise to everyone in the household. Sokka tried to get her to play Knights with him because he was bored and annoyed that he had a baby sister instead of a brother that he had told our parents he wanted. But the fairy, who I was told was named Aunt Wo, was not putting up with his sass about my birth, and after he had thrown his horse at me, she took him outside the room and locked him with the rest of the staff in the great hall. I had started to wail after the horse hit the cradle. After all, I was only a couple hours old and all I could do was cry.

"Hush child," Aunt Wo said, "Hush, for he won't do that to you again. But what a mean big brother he is. He will end up loving you though, everyone will, for you will be a beautiful lady for sure. You will marry a very strong man one day. But that is not my gift; that is your parents gift to you.. My gift is something more seldom thought of, something that is hard to teach. My gift to you is _Obedience. _Now stop your crying."

Mother and Kanna were horrified. They tried to explain to Aunt Wo what a terrible thing that was to do to me. But she didn't understand. I could only picture how that argument went: Kanna's white wiry hair, in an untamed disarray, her standing with her arms folded across her chest; Mother's luscious brown hair, damp and limp from labor, and the laughter gone from her full blue eyes.

Aunt Wo would not undo what she did to me.

My first strong memory of the curse was years later. I was about 5 or 6 years old. It was at my brothers 10th birthday. It was an exciting day, my brother was finally old enough to go to the castle and learn how to become a Knight. I was so proud of him. Before he left, we had a party for him. I had helped Kanna bake the cake, I helped our manservant, Bato, polish the silver, and I was extra good for the head maid, Song, while she sewed a brand new dress for me. I even helped with gather the items for Sokka's new trousers.

Kanna would always tell me that the blue that I had been wearing that day just made me glow. It was just like the blue of the sky before the storm, and there was a silver white sash around my waist. She said that Song had braided my hair the night before so i could have the curly hair that I saw my mother have many times before. I had adored it. No one was able to mess with the waves the next day. I had almost hurt my brother when he tried to ruffle it.

The dinner was just Mother, Sokka, Kanna and I. Father had to go out to visit the Elves or Monks or something. Sokka was a bit disappointed in that but when Kanna brought out dinner, he stopped his his whining and started to shovel in all the food he could, like it was his last meal or something. It was quite humorous. When it was time for cake, Sokka Kanna had to smack his hand away from the platter just to make sure he didn't take half of the cake for himself. While she cut the cake, Sokka was poised, ready for the piece she handed him.

H attacked it just like a dog to a bone as soon as it hit the table. The got us all to laugh.

When Kanna placed my piece in front of me, she said without thinking, "Eat."

The first few bits were delicious. A yellow cake with raspberries in it. Both Sokka's and my favorite. Sokka was already working on his fourth piece when Kanna gave me another. That piece was a little harder to get down. When the last bit of cake was off my plate, no one gave me anymore. But I had to keep eating. I went after the cake itself; it seemed worse then Sokka. I started to cry when I went after the rest of the cake.

"Hey!" Sokka exclaimed, "That's mine!" And he tried to stop me, but I needed to keep eating. Mother saw what was happening and laughed for a minute.

"OK, both of you, stop fighting. Tara, you don't need any more cake. Stop eating. " Mother said.

I relaxed.

Anyone can give me a command, and I would have to obey it. It had to be direct. Just like when she told me to stop fighting with my brother. I didn't have to obey requests, like if my mother said, "Tara, I wish you would stop fighting with your brother," instead. If someone told me to hop on one foot, I would have to, and I couldn't stop until they told me. And that wouldn't be the worst anyone could give me. If someone told me to cut off both my feet, I could have to.

I was always in danger.

And that is why no one but Mother and Kanna knew. Father was never around for a long period time to notice, or give me commands. Sokka, well he was just oblivious to it really. Always playing with his horses and wooden swords.

As I grew older, I tried to break it by delaying my obedience, but that always left me lightheaded and sometimes even worse. I could only manage minutes, but the longer I put it off the worse my symptoms got.

I had a fairy godmother, and Mother asked her to take away the curse, but my fairy godmother said that only Aunt Wo could take it away. However, she did say that someday I could remove it myself, with the troublesome Aunt Wo.

I didn't know how I could do that. I didn't even now who my fairy godmother was.

There was a time that I was eight, I had a friend, I don't even recall her name anymore, only that she was a daughter of one of the servants. One day we were playing and Kanna had called me to help her fetch somethings from the pantry. I had only gotten two of the smallest almonds for her, and that made my friend laugh but it annoyed Kanna. She then told me exact instructions, and I went back and I followed them exactly, but I was still able to frustrate Kanna in the end.

After that little stunt of mine, Kanna had told us to run off and play outside. It was during that time that the friend had asked me why I hadn't done exactly what Kanna asked for in the first place.

"I hate it when she is bossy like that," I had said.

"I always obey my elders though," the girl said.

"That's because you don't have to," I replied.

"Yes I do. Father will slap me if I don't."

"Its not the same," I countered, "I am under a spell." I enjoyed the importance of the wording. Spells are rare. And it seems like Aunt Wo was the only fairy rash enough to cast them.

"A spell?"

"Yes. An evil spell"

"Like Sleeping Beauty?"

"I don't have sleep for a hundred years."  
"What's yours?'

I told her.

"So if anyone gave you an order, you would have to obey? Including me?"  
I nodded.

"Can I try this?"  
"No," I had not expected this from her. I changed the subject, "I'll race you to the gate over there."

"Alright, but I command you to lose."

"Then I don't want to race anymore."

"I command you to race me to the gate and I command you to lose."

We raced. I lost. We played a few more games, and I had to follow everything that she told me to do.

About a hour after my admission to her, I punched her. She lost a tooth, and I also gave her a nose bleed.

Our friendship ended that day. Mother had helped the family relocate, far away from our kingdom.

After my initial punishment from Mother, she gave me one of her infrequent commands: never tell anyone about the curse.

I wouldn't have. Not after that day. I learned precaution about it.

/-/-/-/-/-/

I was almost fifteen, Sokka was just entering his last year as a squire, when Mother and I got terribly sick. Kanna had taken care of us, making her famous curing soup, with sea prunes, leeks, celery and a hair from a unicorn. It was delicious but everyone hated to see the long golden hairs floating in the soup.

Since it was just Mother and I at the manor, I was able to sit in her bed with her. Had Father or Sokka been home, I would have been in my room. I had to eat the soup, with the hairs floating in it, because Kanna told me to. I stuck my tongue out at Kanna's turned back as she left the room. Mother laughed at my behavior.

"I'll wait until mine is cool," Mother said. Then after Kanna left, she took the hairs out and put them back into her empty bowl when she was finished.

The next day, I was well and Mother was worse, much worse. She was too ill to eat or drink anything. She said that there was a knife in her throat and a hammer in her head. I did not leave her side, placing cool compresses to her forehead to help elevate her pain. I told her stories all throughout the day. Old familiar stories, with my on twists to them. Some made her laugh, but that laugh would soon turn into a horrible hacking cough, that did not seem to echo through the room.

Before Kanna lead me to bed for the night, Mother kissed me. "Good night little blue eyes. I love you."

Those were her last words to me. As I left the room, I heard her last words to Kanna, "I am not that sick. Do not send for Sir Hakoda and Sokka."

Sir Hakoda was Father.

The next morning, my mother was awake but dreaming. She was seeing people and talking to people that weren't alive anymore. She was continuously rubbing her necklace. To Kanna and I, who were in the room, she said nothing to.

Bato, the manservant, got the physician, who hurried me away from the bedside.

The manor hallway empty. Sokka was not here to make ridiculous jokes, or laugh at himself for his genius. I had to walk the halls alone. As I got to the stair case, I remembered the times that Mother and I would slide down the banister.

We never did it when people were around. "We have to be dignified ladies of the court," my Mother would whisper to me, gathering her skirts, and walking slowly down the stairs. I would follow her lead, trying to be as poised and ladylike just like her. Sometimes I did it, others I would manage to get to the bottom of the stairs, only to trip over my skirts because I let them slip from my hands to soon.

When we were alone though, we would race down and laugh and yell and have so much fun. Sometimes, when he was younger, Sokka joined us.

On that night though, I walked down the winding stairs. At the bottom, I continued to walk to the heavy front doors. Opening one enough for me to slip out, I went into the bright sunlight. It was a different feeling then the darkness inside.

It was a decent walk to the old castle. I didn't mind the walk at all. I wanted to make a wish. And even though the saying was that wishes were granted at the twilight hours, I didn't have the time to go there at night. I couldn't leave the manor lawn after dark.

The castle was abandoned when Prince Ozai was still alive. That was about a decade ago. I don't remember that time. It is still kept in an almost pristine condition due to the use of the halls for weddings, celebrations, private balls, and the like. Everyone had different opinions of the place. I loved the quietness, the serenity of the gardens, and the long twisting, maze like halls. I wish I was brave enough to explore them alone.

I headed straight to the gardens. There is where the wishing fountain was. It used to be an old well, but after one of the princes fell in, King Ir oh turned it into a fountain, the well still underneath.

Sitting on the edge of the the fountain, I closed my eyes really tight. I made my wish.

"If Mother gets well soon, I will be extra good and I will try harder to be a true young lady, not be as clumsy, and I wont tease Kanna or the other servants as much."

I didn't bargain for Mothers life. I didn't need too. I didn't believe that anything would happen to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, so doing this little A/N is a bit difficult: I have 2 out of 3 dogs somewhere on my body and it is not making typing fun. BUT! I am on a streak, I posted two chapters tonight! This one and chapter 3 for my other story, Zutara A to Z (Which I might rename, but I haven't figured that out yet.) But any who, to Enchanted: I loved writing this chapter! And I might say that to every chapter, but I loved this one, even tho it is a bit sad. But you get to meet Zuko! This is all before the real adventure starts happening too!

Thank you to: Ilovecatsz and lawliness for the reviews! I was super duper excited to get them! I hope you two like this chapter as well!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER

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Enchanted

Chapter two

"Leaving behind a grieving husband and young children, we must comfort them in this time of sadness." High Monk Geytso drawled on. This was nearing the end of his many hour speech. Some of the speech had been about Mother, but the for the most part it was more of adding "Lady Kya" into the areas that could describe just about anyone in the Kingdom. Part of the speech had been about dying, and the rest had been about giving grievance to the the country and its rulers, King Iroh, Prince Lu Ten and Prince Zuko, and the rest of the royal family.

Father reached for my hand; it was clammy and really warm. It was disturbing. I wished Sokka could stand with us instead of standing at arms by the casket. His face was stern, but you could see his eyes, blue just like mine, just like Mothers, were shining bright with held back tears.

I pulled my hand out of Fathers grasp and moved a step away. He closed the distance and took my hand again. I wish he wold just go away, I wanted my brother and Kanna.

Mothers casket was made out of s highly polished cherry wood, with white and soft blue lace coming out above the edges; the sides were carved with fairies and waves and it seemed to beautiful for any other person then my Mother. I could only wish that the fairies would come out of the wood, to cast a spell, to bring her back to life. Or a spell to send my Father away. Or I could find my fairy godmother could do it; if I could ever find her.

When the High Monk finished his speech, it was my job, since Sokka could not leave his post, to close the casket lid. At last the drawling of the monotonous man stopped, and Father pushed me forward. I took slow steps, wishing that I was holding my brothers hand, wishing that this wasn't happening, wishing for so many things.

Looking into Mother casket, I didn't see the beautiful woman that birthed me, I didn't see the laughter in her eyes, the smile on her lips, the rosy tinge to her cheeks; all I could see at the moment was the stern set of her mouth, the white parlor of skin underneath the rogue that someone attempted to paint her cheeks with. It was horrible. But the worst part was that the whole hall was completely silent as I looked at my mother for one last time. The worst part was the sound the lid made when I lowered it, to its final place.

The tears I had kept at bay finally erupted. I stood there, over my Mothers coffin, balling my eyes out in front of the whole court, in front of the Royal family. I didn't see, more felt, Sokka take a step towards me, but it was Father who beat him to my side. He pressed me against his chest and tried to rub circles around my back. It must have seem that he was trying to comfort me, but it wasn't working. He was really trying to muffle the sound of my sobbing, which couldn't be muffled. I had just lost my Mother, no one would be able to muffle the sound of a broken heart.

Father let me go abruptly; placing a kiss on my forehead, he whispered sharply, "Get out of here. Come find me when you can behave yourself."

That was one command that I was more then willing to obey.

I turned away from him, blinded from the all the tears, and I ran.

I was tripped by my heavy black gown, but before anyone could make a move to help me up, I was on my feet and my skirts balled in my fists. My knees were smarting but I didn't care. I needed to get out of here.

I raced through the graveyard to the biggest tree I could see. It was a weeping willow tree. I plunged myself into the leaves, and threw myself onto the ground.

I remember people talking about how the weeping willow trees are also called, the crying trees, or the losing mother. But my Mother wasn't lost. She was gone, no matter where I went – to the Cardinal Temples, to the Auroras in the Poles, another town, another country, another Kingdom – my Mother is gone. I would never find her again.

We would never talk again, laugh at the servants reactions to the pranks we played on them. We would never swim in Lake Kyoshi again. Or slide down the banisters, or a million other things. She was gone. And I was alone.

I cried myself out, telling myself that I wasn't alone.. I had Kanna, the grandmother I never had, Sokka, the best brother I could have asked for, even though he isn't around as much as I would like. I even had Father, who I never really ever got to know because he was always traveling.

Sitting up, I glanced down to my gown. It went from a silky black to a clay and dirt tan. As Kanna would say, I was a spectacle for sure.

How much time went by? I knew I had to go back soon. The curse was nagging at me, Father had told me to go find him when I was done crying.

Outside the privacy of my tree, I saw Prince Zuko standing looking down at a tombstone. Even through he was only a few years older then I, around Sokka's age if I remember correctly, he just seemed so regal and older. He was tall, standing outside of the protection of the tree, and he was standing feet apart and hands behind his back. He looked more like his Mother, the Lady Ursa, then his Father, the deceased Prince Ozai. The prince was sure a looker, with sharp cheekbones, piercing amber eyes, but yet the soft wave of his hair made him just seem like a little kid still. Everyone one in the kingdom must have had a crush on this man at some point of time.

"A cousin of mine," he said, motioning towards the tombstone he was standing over, "Never really liked him. But I liked your mother." He started back towards Mother's grave.

Was I supposed to follow him? Did he expect me too? Was I supposed to keep a respectful distance between himself and I?

I got up off the ground and started to follow him. With at least a carriage distance between us, I walked with him. Slowing down, he actually allowed me to catch up to him, and he even walked a little closer to me.

"I am Zuko," he said, almost awkwardly.. It was kind of cute.

"I know, your highness." I replied, looking down to the ground.

"You can just call me Zuko. You don't need to use such formalities." Prince –No, Zuko – said. "Friends don't need to call me 'Highness'."

I am a friend? He considers me a friend?

"Thank you." I said.

"Thank you, Zuko," he countered, then he smiled a bit. "Your mother used to make me laugh. Once at a banquet, Monk Geytso was making a speech, and while he talked, your mother was fussing around with her napkin. Before your Father, Sir Hakoda took it and smashed it, I was able to see that she had arranged it to look like Monk Geytso. It would have looked exactly like him if he was the shade of a bright orange napkin. I had to leave the banquet, without dinner, so I could go out and laugh."

We were halfway back to the grave site. I could make out one figure standing next to a carriage.

"Where did everyone go?" I asked.

"They all left before I came to search for you." He paused, "Did you want them to wait?"

He seemed a little worried.

"No, it is fine. I would have wanted everyone to go."

There was a silence between us, only briefly.

"I know all about you." Zuko said, to bring up another conversation. He seemed a little less awkward now that we were a little more conversed with each other.

"You do? How?" My steps faltered only a little. I was surprised about the bold statement.

"Yes I do. My cook and your cook meet at the market and they talk about you," he looked sideways to me. "Do you know much about me?"

"No, I don't I am sorry." Kanna never mentioned him. Maybe I should ask her to tell me some stories about the royal Prince sometime. I almost wish to know him more.

"No need to be sorry."

"So, what do you know about me?" I asked, curious about what Kanna had shared.

"Well, I know that you can imitate people, just like Lady Kya could. I know that once you imitated your manservant in front of him and he didn't know if you were the servant or him. I know that that you make up your own fairy-tales, and that you drop things, and trip over things. I know that you once broke a good set of chinaware."

I my lips curved upwards slightly, not truly a smile, " I slipped on ice!"

"Ice chips that you had spilled before you slipped on them!" He laughed. It was not ridiculing at all. It was a happy laugh at a good joke.

"An accident!" I protested, smiling a little bit more. I was trembling still, after all that crying.

We had arrived at the carriage and my Father.

"Thank you for ushering my daughter back, your highness," My Father bowed.

Zuko returned the bow.

"Come, Katara," My Father said to me.

Katara, no had called me that before, even though it is my real name. Mother and Kanna never called me that even when I was in trouble. It was so weird to hear.

"Tara," I retorted, "I am Tara."

"OK, then, come, Tara,"

He bowed once again to the Prince and stepped in to the carriage.

I had to go. Father gave me a command. Zuko handed me in to the carriage. I didn't know whether to give him my hand or let him push me up. It ended up that he had a hold on my elbow as I grasped the side of the door. When he closed the door I caught my skirt and then we all heard a loud ripping sound. Father winced. I saw Zuko through the window and he was laughing again. I turned the skirt to look at it. There was a gash about 6 to 8 inched above the hem. Song would have a field day trying to make it smooth again.

As the carriage started to move, I managed to sit as far away from Father as I could. Once again I was wishing for Sokka to be here with me instead of him. Staring out the window I tried to ignore Father. It didn't quite work out.

"A fine affair. All of the kingdom came, everyone that counts anyways," he said, as though the funeral for my Mother, for his wife, was something such like a ball or jousting tournament.

"It wasn't fine. It was awful." I said, not looking towards him. How could Mother's funeral be fine?

"The young prince was kind to you."

"He liked Mother."

"Your Mother was a beautiful woman." He sounded regretful. "I am so sorry that she is dead."

The carriage hit a bump, and the ceased the rest of the conversations for the rest of the ride home.


End file.
